Is the use of supermarket trolleys microbiologically safe? Study of microbiological contamination

Abstract

Microbial contamination in shopping trolleys (eighty five) by considering different supermarkets (seven) from three major food companies in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain) was determined. The two sampled areas were trolley handles and food trolley baskets-child seats. Samples were analyzed by selective and differential microbiological culture media. E. coli four (2.4%) indicative of faecal contamination, Klebsiella pneumoniae twelve (6.5%) and Citrobacter freundii, six (5.1%), which have been isolated from human faecal samples, were isolated from trolleys; Pseudomonas rhodesiae, five (4.25%), and Pseudomonas fluorescens, three (2.55%), which both evidenced environmental contamination. Significant differences among the companies were found for the Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms. Regarding location, these differences (p < 0.003) were observed only for the coliform rates, which were higher in trolleys located outside. The results of this study suggest the implementation of cleaning and disinfection programmes to improve trolley sanitation, and to reduce exposure to both potential pathogenic and transmitting bacterial infections.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Status of Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria on Handheld Shopping Trolleys and Baskets in Supermarkets in Ndola, Zambia

“…The rate of shopping trolley and basket contamination was 28%. The presence of bacterial isolates in this study was lower than the results obtained in Jeddah by Al-Ghamdi et al [16], in the USA by Gerba and Maxwell [20], in Saudi Arabia by Ashgar and El-Said [21] and in Spain by Carrascosa et al [11], who reported the contamination rate as 95.5%, 72%, 48% and 35% respectively. The reduced prevalence obtained in our study could be due to the small sample size and availability of resources.…”

“…Individuals also visit shopping malls with different health states. Someone infected may not be aware that they are carriers and may unknowingly contribute to spreading pathogenic bacteria in public areas [11]. Accidental contamination might also occur with raw food products such as meat, fish and chicken contact directly [12].…”

Risk factors of non-typhoidal Salmonella gastroenteritis in hospitalised young children: a case–control study

“…The lack of association in our study may reflect that this practice is not common in Hong Kong. Shopping carts are frequently handled by numerous users and not routinely disinfected in supermarkets 37 and have high microbiological loads on handles and basket-child seats. Children may come into direct contact with Salmonella through touching contaminated packaging of raw chicken meat contaminated with Salmonella 38 39 suggesting that parents should prevent their child touching raw products and use hand sanitizer to wipe shopping carts.…”

Prevalence, genetic diversity, antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from urban environments

“…These isolates were characterized as non‐MDRs but had different biofilm formation capacities and belonged to different STs as well. Many studies have investigated the contamination of shopping cart handles with pathogenic bacteria and coliforms (Al‐Ghamdi et al, 2011; Mizumachi et al, 2011; Gerba & Maxwell, 2012; Fawzi I. Fawzi et al, 2014; Carrascosa et al, 2019; Calle et al, 2020; Jaradat et al, 2021), but none of them described the isolation of A. baumannii from these surfaces. These handles are considered as high touch surfaces, and thus contribute to the spread of pathogens among shoppers and in the community.…”